In Théolib No. 27 devoted to Faust Socinus, I was surprised by the title of the article M. Blanchard-Gaillard The Ecclesia minor Polish Brothers - the first non-Trinitarian Christian church in modern times
.
I do not go on, and here the meaning of "modern times" the nature of which eludes me somewhat - I guess it makes up these "modern times" in the reform initiated by Luther - but instead on "the first Non-Trinitarian Christian church ".
history of it starts around 1440 when the Czech Petr Chelčický, stole the ideas of Jan Hus, the Hussites but separated which he denounced violence, writes 
Radical Chelčický taught that war is incompatible with Christianity and a disciple of Jesus must be guided by his "law" whatever the consequences. Chelčický was also close to the Vaudois, but the warmth of the speech were eliminated. Gregory
The Hussite Prague excited about having theses Chelčický persuade some of his movement in 1458 to leave their homes to follow him to Kunwald where they founded their religious community.
Subsequently groups of Vaud Czech and German will join them.
The period from 1464 to 1467 will mark the development of the Unity of Brethren who held several synods. It
in that they define their doctrine Brothers and lie down in writing texts to be compiled as a series of books entitled Acta Fratrum Unitatis
.
Here's an excerpt:
"We are determined to establish our administration only by reading and by the example of our Lord and the Holy Apostles, in the silence, humility and patience, loving our enemies, making them and wishing them well, and praying for them. "
Brothers had the missionary spirit and working to spread the Gospel message to others by visits often done in pairs in the image of their friends and especially by the Vaudois biblical model (cf. Luke 10:1).
But in 1494 a schism broke out within the Unit and the Brotherhood is split into two groups, the major party and minor party.
The major advantage would be less radical and contrasted in this with the minor party who held firmly to its political neutrality.
also is the party who remain non-Trinitarian minor.
Here is what writes one minor party members:
"People who walk on two roads have few guarantees that they will stay with God, because only rarely and in small things they are willing to sacrifice and submit to him, and the great things they do as they please. (...) It is among those who have the strong mind and a good conscience after day after day the Lord Christ on the narrow road with their cross, we want to be counted. "
In their rejection of the Trinity Friars of the minor party saw the holy spirit as the power of God they called his" finger ".
They believed in the doctrine that Jesus paid the ransom his life by offering to allow men to get rid of the sin of Adam.
Reformers before the time they had got rid of religion and Mariolatry had abolished the system with its clerical celibate priests replacing it with a system of lay ministers to conform to the apostolic model.
They were very critical of other churches, especially because of their Anabaptist position.
In contrast to these, the party included a major, the minor party write:
"You teach that we must baptize little children who do not have their own faith, he wrote, and in this follow what you set a bishop named Dionysius, who encouraged the baptism of infants at the instigation of senseless (...). Almost all teachers and doctors do the same, Luther, Melanchthon, Bucer, Korvin, Jiles, Bullinger, (...) the major party which trafiquent all together. "
One of the minor party leaders, Jan Kalenec, was tortured by the Catholic Inquisition in 1524 and ended three others at the stake.
is estimated that between 1500 and 1510 the Moravian Brethren have published fifty of sixty pounds which have been in the Czech Republic over the past ten years.
The Moravian Church also contributed to the evolution of translating the Bible into Czech.
After the death of the minor party last Brothers in 1550, the rejection of the Trinity by this community disappeared completely.
What remains today of Unity Moravian Brethren Church is organized under the name of the Moravian Church, but integrated in the double tradition and Lutheran Hussite.
Here is a list of statements, written by leaders of the minor party, catering mainly to the major party:
Trinity
"If you look at the Bible from one end to another, you will not find anywhere hand that God is divided into a kind of Trinity, three persons on behalf of different beliefs that people have invented from scratch. "
Holy Spirit:
" The holy spirit is the finger of God and God's gift, a comforter, the Power of God, the Father gives believers on the basis of the merits of Christ. People do not read anywhere in the Scriptures that must be called the holy spirit of God or one, and it does not appear either in the apostolic writings. "
Priesthood:
" They give you the wrong title of 'priest' and if you take your tonsure and anointing your finger, you have nothing more than the most ordinary laymen. St. Peter invites all Christians to be priests, saying: You are the holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices (1 Peter 2). " Baptism:
" The Lord Christ told his apostles: Go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature, to those who believe (Mark, chapter 16). And only after these words, and being baptized will be saved. But you need to teach little children baptized without their own faith. "
Neutrality: " What you saw first brothers as evil and impure, join the army and kill or go on the road carrying weapons, all that you hold it for good. [...] We therefore believe that you, like other teachers, just look in the left eye the prophetic words that say: He has broken the power of the arc, shields, swords and battle (Psalm 75). And again: They will not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the land the Lord is full of divine knowledge, etc.. (Isaiah, chapter 11). "
Sermon: " We know that initially led women more people to repentance as a group of priests and a bishop. And now the priests have moved into their village and in the residence allocated to them. What a mistake! Go around the world. [...] Preach to every creature. " I give you below links to a very good article dedicated to this community and an English translation of the net faith
Petr Chelčický: http://www.nonresistance.org / docs_htm / ~ Net_of_Faith / Net_of_Faith.html http://www.ttstm.com/2009/09/september-10-petr-chelcicky-prophet.html
Bibliography : Victor-L. Tapie: Czech A church in the fifteenth century: the Unity of Brethren
(Librairie Ernest Leroux, 1934)
Joseph Macek: John Hus and the Hussite traditions
(Plon, 1973) - Chapter V, Section 5 "Pierre Chelčický "and section 6" Unity of Brethren ".
Jehovah's Witnesses have written an article on Unity Moravian Brethren in their issue of the Watchtower of 15/12/2003, pages 9-13, titled
They searched the narrow road.
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